Copyright 2005 Joey Atlas

I can remember my first visit to a health club like it was yesterday. It was actually thirty years ago, when I was five years old. Even though it was a long time ago, that visit triggered something in me that is still with me today. That something was my desire to lead a fitness lifestyle.

I can go on and on here about all the health related benefits of working out and eating right. But the truth is you already heard or read about all these good things. So, I won’t bore you with what you already know.

What I do want to share with you are the benefits that you won’t see on a scale, in the mirror or in the results of your next medical exam. What I’m talking about is the priceless influence you will have on others who are close to you such as your children, parents, friends, co-workers and employees (if you are a business owner).

By choosing to live a fitness lifestyle, and actively expose me to it, my father was imparting wisdom on me that would beneficially influence his descendants for generations to come. Pretty smart guy, wouldn’t you say?

There were other factors that contributed to my desire to lead an active & healthy lifestyle. As a kid, I was able to see the difference between how my father looked and how other people in his age range, who did not take care of themselves, looked. The difference was staggering.

And, when it came to physical abilities. Forget about it! He could do things by himself that would normally require three or four out of shape & unhealthy people to get done.

I knew exactly what kind of shape I wanted to be in when I grew up.

In essence, my father was leading by example. And, not only did I learn from his example, but so did my brother and sister. They are both committed to exercising and eating right (most of the time).

This brings me to some of those secret benefits I mentioned earlier. Our kids now watch us workout and eat healthy. The same things that happened to me as a kid are happening to the next generation. Our kids want to use the home gym, do stretches and floor exercises, and eat nuts and fruit for snacks instead of candy and cookies (most of the time).

Here is my point in all of this. By taking care of himself my father was taking care of his kids and his grandkids. And, you can believe that his great grandchildren will benefit as well.

What better gift can one pass down than the desire to lead a healthy lifestyle and the enhanced quality of life that goes with it? There is nothing better.

In addition to influencing your children, this same mechanism can and also does apply to friends, parents, co-workers and employees (if you are a business owner). I’ve seen this happen with many of the clients I have worked with over the years.

The reasons are many but the end result is still the same. Your healthy way of life will inspire others around you to take better care of themselves through a healthier life style.

The moral of this story is: By leading a lifestyle built around physical fitness and smart nutrition, you may be taking care of a lot more people than just yourself.